Italian fuel tax rise to fund cleaner buses

Italy is to increase fuel taxes by €0.01 per litre for diesel and half that for petrol, environment minister Altero Matteoli announced on Friday. The move does not appear intended to discourage drivers from using their cars: Mr Matteoli's office said the cost increase was so low it would "almost certainly not be passed on to consumers". Instead, the expected revenue - estimated at €350m per year - will be used to replace buses with less polluting models, in a bid to meet EU particulate emission standards. See Italian environment ministry.

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